Piercable capsule for packaging

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a perforable capsule for packaging components, comprising a cover (1) and a flexible pouch (2) in which the component(s) is (are) packaged and which is movable relative to said cover (1). The present invention also relates to a perforable capsule where said flexible pouch (2) is positioned inside a rigid body. The present invention also relates to the use of this capsule for the packaging of components, preferably cosmetic components, and the use of this capsule in a device for the manufacture of a personalized cosmetic product by mixing at least two components, wherein at least one of the two components is contained in the capsule. The present invention also relates to a method for withdrawing the contents of a capsule and a kit for manufacturing a personalized product, preferably cosmetic.

The present invention relates to a perforable capsule for packaging components, comprising a cover (1) and a flexible pouch (2) in which the component(s) is (are) packaged and which is movable relative to said cover (1). The present invention also relates to a perforable capsule where said flexible pouch (2) is positioned inside a rigid body. The present invention also relates to the use of this capsule for the packaging of components, preferably cosmetic components, and the use of this capsule in a device for the manufacture of a personalized cosmetic product by mixing at least two components, wherein at least one of the two components is contained in the capsule. The present invention also relates to a method for withdrawing the contents of a capsule and a kit for manufacturing a personalized product, preferably cosmetic.

The field of the invention relates in particular to encapsulating components, in particular cosmetic components.

Using capsules allows pre-dosage of the components, preferably cosmetic, in particular the active components, without manipulation by the user; easy combination of the components, preferably cosmetic, since it suffices to add as many capsules as one wishes to combine components, preferably cosmetic, in particular active components, in the personalized product, preferably cosmetic; and optimal conservation of the personalized product, preferably cosmetic, the mixing being carried out extemporaneously, preferably at the time of use.

Indeed, the components, preferably cosmetic, contained in the containers and/or in the capsules are protected in particular from possible bacterial contamination by skin contact, since the user does not touch the contents, from oxidation or from UV degradation. Using such jars and/or capsules makes it possible, for example, to limit or not to add chemical preservatives to the components contained therein, which is an advantage for consumers who are looking for products without or with as few preservatives as possible.

These capsules are traditionally present in the prior art in the form of capsules comprising a rigid aluminum body and comprising a cover, said capsules containing a component, for example a cosmetic active ingredient, in aqueous form, which a machine will then remove owing to a withdrawal device that will pierce the cover and withdraw the contents of the capsule in order to mix them with other components in a machine.

However, in practice, problems arise when said component, preferably cosmetic, is not formulated in aqueous form, but said component, preferably cosmetic, is formulated for example in the form of a gel, serum or cream, with a dynamic viscosity ranging from 0.001 to 500 Pa.s. Indeed, when said capsule has been stored, whether with the cover up, down or on the side, the viscous component may remain stuck (on the side of the cover or at the bottom of the capsule), and once a withdrawal device, for example composed of a hollow needle and a suction means for the component, preferably cosmetic, attempts to withdraw the component, the latter is inaccessible because it is stuck to the wall of the capsule or cover, and the withdrawal device is thus unable to withdraw said component

Thus, there is currently a need for a capsule allowing effective withdrawal of the component contained in the capsule by a suction withdrawal device, in particular in the case where the component present in said capsule has a dynamic viscosity of 0.001 Pa.s to 500 Pa.S, and allowing storage of the capsule in any position.

Today, the Applicant is innovating by proposing a new capsule solving the above-referenced problems.

Indeed, the Applicant has developed a capsule for packaging component(s), comprising a perforable cover and comprising, inside the capsule, a flexible pouch (2) movable during the suctioning of its contents, the component being contained in the flexible pouch.

Thus, according to a first aspect, the invention relates to a perforable capsule for packaging component(s) comprising a cover (1), and characterized in that it comprises a flexible pouch in which the component(s) is (are) packaged and which is movable relative to said cover (1).

According to the invention, “capsule” means a device making it possible to hermetically contain a component, which may then be removed.

According to the invention, “perforable capsule” means a capsule whose composition allows perforation, for example using a hollow needle. This capsule is designed for removal of its contents by perforation using a mechanical perforation and suction system, preferably a hollow needle and a suction means.

According to the invention, “perforable cover” means the equivalent of a lid or of a protective film hermetically sealing the capsule, the composition of which allows perforation, for example using a hollow needle.

According to the invention, “dynamic viscosity” means the property of resistance of a fluid to laminar flow.

According to the invention, “components” means liquids that may have different dynamic viscosities and that may range from 1 centipoise or 0.001 Pa.S (such as water, for example) to 500 Pa.s or 500,000 centipoise (such as cow's milk butter at 10° C., viscosity measured with Brookfield DVIII Ultra, needle F, Speed 1.5), as well as powders. This may for example be a liquid paint, a hair coloring precursor, for example an oxidant, a base or a coupler, a cosmetic foundation, a cosmetic cream base, a cosmetic base component, a cosmetic active ingredient, a food sauce base, a liquid flavoring, a food alcohol, a fruit juice, a food syrup or liqueur.

According to the invention, “cosmetic base component” means a cosmetic component whose purpose is to provide a particular texture (cream, serum, oil, etc.) to the cosmetic product. It can be a single ingredient (for example, sweet almond oil) or several ingredients (for example, water, sweet almond oil and an emulsifier) to obtain said particular texture.

According to the invention, “cosmetic active component” means a cosmetic component whose purpose is to provide at least one particular activity (anti-aging, moisturizing, antioxidant, etc.). This can be a single or several active ingredients combined to obtain said particular activity.

According to the invention, “component packaging” means an individual packaging containing the components, allowing retail use of these components. This packaging of components in capsules allows pre-dosing of the components without manipulation by the user, and then easy combination of the components.

Preferably, according to the invention, said flexible pouch (2) is made of plastic and/or polyethylene and/or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and/or aluminum.

Preferably, according to the invention, the wall of said flexible pouch (2) has a thickness of 50 to 200 μm.

Preferably, according to the invention, said cover (1) is composed of plastic and/or of polyethylene and/or of aluminum and/or of plasticized paper; preferably, said cover (1) is composed of a lamination of aluminum and polyethylene.

According to the invention, “lamination of aluminum and polyethylene” means a bonding or welding of said two materials.

Preferably, according to the invention, said flexible pouch (2) is positioned inside a rigid body (3) constituting the outside of the capsule, said flexible pouch (2) being detached from the bottom of the rigid body (3) when its contents are suctioned.

According to the invention, “flexible pouch (2) being detached from the bottom of the rigid body (3) when its contents are suctioned” means that under the effect of the suction, the movable flexible pouch (2) will detach from the bottom of the rigid body (3) and will allow the suction element to come into contact with the component, which is potentially stuck to the bottom of the capsule. However, this flexible pouch always remains attached to the rigid body of the capsule, and comprises the component included in the capsule, which continuously remains in this flexible pouch.

Preferably, according to the invention, said flexible pouch (2) is fixed by bonding between said rigid pouch (3) and the cover (1).

This bonding is carried out in such a way that the capsule is not opened manually by the user, but by perforation using a mechanical perforation and suction system, preferably a hollow needle and a suction means.

Preferably, said capsule can be perforated by a mechanical perforation and suction system, preferably a hollow needle and a suction means.

According to one embodiment, said mechanical perforation and suction system is included in a device for manufacturing a personalized cosmetic product.

Even more preferably, said flexible pouch (2) is fixed by heat sealing between said rigid pouch (3) and the cover (1).

According to the invention, “heat sealing” means the bonding method consisting in locally heating a material deformable by heat, then in applying pressure and allowing it to cool.

Preferably, according to the invention, said capsule comprises between 0.1 and 5 mL of component, preferably between 0.3 and 0.5 mL of component.

Preferably, according to the invention, said component has a dynamic viscosity of 0.001 Pa.s to 500 Pa.s at 20° C.

Preferably, according to the invention, said component is chosen from sauces, paint, syrup, honey, oil, spread, butter, jam, alcohols, perfumed liquids and/or cosmetic ingredients.

According to the invention, “sauces” means any type of food-type sauce such as, for example, mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, or soy sauce.

According to the invention, “paint” means any type of liquid paint.

According to the invention, “syrup” means a viscous and thick liquid serving to flavor a liquid by mixing.

According to the invention, “oil” means any type of oil that can for example be used in food or as a cosmetic ingredient. Examples for instance include vegetable oils and essential oils.

According to the invention, “spread” means a food conventionally intended to be spread for example on bread, brioche, pancakes, waffles or rusks. Examples of spreads are hazelnut and chocolate spreads or fruit spreads.

According to the invention, “cosmetic ingredients” means any element that can serve as a cosmetic active ingredient or that can form part of a cosmetic composition.

According to the invention, “butter” means the dairy product extracted from the cream resulting from the milk in particular of cows, but also vegetable butters, used in food and as cosmetic ingredients, such as those of almond, cocoa, avocado, cupuagu, shea, korum, kombo, kpangnan, mango, murumuru, olive, sal, tucuma, avocadin (consisting of olive and avocado), coconut, fig, nigella, castor, hemp, monoi and kokum.

According to the invention, “alcohol” means a liquid containing ethanol or a chemical compound comprising an —OH hydroxyl function.

According to the invention, “perfumed liquid” means a liquid emitting an odor and capable for example of transmitting it to a liquid that would be obtained by mixing with said perfumed liquid.

Particularly preferably, according to the invention, said component is a cosmetic ingredient, preferably in aqueous cream or serum form.

According to the invention, “cream” means a cosmetic emulsion resulting from mixing an aqueous phase and an oily phase.

According to the invention, “serum” means a liquid or gelled cosmetic product comprising a high concentration of active ingredient in order to deliver it rapidly.

Preferably, according to the invention, said capsule comprises at least one identification code (4).

Preferably, according to the invention, said at least one identification code (4) is chosen from color codes, RFID chips, bar codes, QR codes, Datamatrix codes, PDF-417 codes, MaxiCodes, NFC tags and mechanical shapes.

Preferably, according to the invention, said at least one identification code (4) comprises information on the nature of the component and/or the expiration date of the component and/or the origin of the capsule and/or the opening date of the capsule and/or the remaining quantity of the component in the capsule and/or the number of remaining doses of the component and/or the batch number and/or the serial number and/or the parameters allowing the machine to configure itself based on this information.

Preferably, said capsule can be perforated by a mechanical perforation and suction system, preferably a hollow needle and a suction means.

According to a second aspect, the invention relates to the use of a capsule according to the invention for packaging cosmetic ingredients.

According to a third aspect, the invention relates to the use of a capsule according to the invention in a device for the manufacture of a personalized cosmetic product by mixing at least two components, wherein at least one of the two components is contained in the capsule.

According to the invention, “device for the manufacture of a personalized cosmetic product” means a device for the manufacture of a personalized cosmetic product by mixing at least two cosmetic components, housed in a respective container, at least one of the containers being a capsule according to the invention, the device comprising at least one mixing device, and a device for selecting at least one cosmetic component, in its capsule.

“Mixing device” means a device making it possible to homogenize a combination of several components.

Examples of such devices capable of creating a personalized cosmetic cream are described in the documents FR1203150, FR1600021, FR1600023, FR1600024, WO2017/118799, WO2017/118800, WO2017/118801, WO2017/118802 and WO2017/118803.

According to a fourth aspect, the invention relates to a method for withdrawing the contents of a perforable capsule according to the invention, comprising the steps of:

1. Positioning of the cover of the capsule at a withdrawal device, preferably composed of a hollow needle and a suction means;

2. Perforating the cover by the withdrawal device;

3. Withdrawal by suction, preferably by the hollow needle and the suction means, of the component present in the flexible pouch, itself in said capsule, the flexible pouch (2) in which the component is placed coming off the bottom of the capsule under the effect of suction, bringing said component into contact with the hollow needle.

According to the present invention, “hollow needle” means a hollow needle capable of piercing the capsule.

According to the present invention, “suction means” means a device for removing the contents of a capsule. Preferably, said suction means allows the volume available in a receptacle of a mixing device to be varied so as to suck up the contents of a capsule and distribute it into a mixing device, such as a piston driven by a motor, for example the piston of the mixing device.

According to a fifth aspect, the invention relates to a kit for manufacturing a personalized product, preferably cosmetic, comprising:

-   -   At least one capsule according to the invention, containing a         component, preferably cosmetic;     -   At least one container, preferably a capsule or a jar,         containing another component;     -   A withdrawal device;     -   A component mixing device.

FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows a capsule according to the invention, comprising a cover (1), a flexible pouch (2), a rigid body (3) and at least one identification code (4).

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of FIG. 1, thus showing the cover (1), the flexible pouch (2) and the rigid body (3).

With regard to FIGS. 1 and 2, the component is contained in the capsule within the movable flexible pouch (2), which deforms under the effect of the suction to come into contact with the hollow needle, which pierces the cover (1) arranged on the surface of the flexible pouch (2), and thus allow the component to be removed. According to one embodiment of the invention, this flexible pouch is arranged inside a rigid body (3). According to another embodiment of the invention, at least one identification code (4) is arranged on the cover (1) of the capsule, as illustrated in FIG. 1, in order to allow the device for manufacturing a personalized product to obtain information on said capsule and the component. 

1. Perforable capsule for packaging component(s) comprising a cover, and characterized in that it comprises a flexible pouch in which the component(s) is (are) packaged and which is movable relative to said cover, and which is positioned inside a rigid body constituting the outside of the capsule, said flexible pouch being characterized in that it detaches from the bottom of the rigid body when suctioning up its contents.
 2. Capsule according to claim 1, characterized in that said flexible pouch is made of plastic and/or polyethylene and/or polyvinyl chloride and/or aluminum.
 3. Capsule according to claim 1, characterized in that the wall of said flexible pouch has a thickness of 50 to 200 μm.
 4. Capsule according to claim 1, characterized in that the cover is composed of plastic and/or of polyethylene and/or of aluminum and/or of plasticized paper; preferably, said cover is composed of a lamination of aluminum and polyethylene.
 5. Capsule according to claim 1, characterized in that said flexible pouch is fixed by heat sealing between said rigid pouch and the cover.
 6. Capsule according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises between 0.1 and 5 mL of component, preferably between 0.3 and 0.5 mL of component.
 7. Capsule according to claim 6, characterized in that said component has a dynamic viscosity of 0.001 Pa.s to 500 Pa.s at 20° C.
 8. Capsule according to claim 6, characterized in that said component is chosen from sauces, paint, syrup, honey, oil, spread, butter, jam, alcohols, perfumed liquids and/or cosmetic ingredients.
 9. Capsule according to claim 8, characterized in that the component is a cosmetic ingredient, preferably in aqueous cream or serum form.
 10. Capsule according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least one identification code.
 11. Capsule according to claim 1, characterized in that it can be perforated by a mechanical perforation and suction system, preferably a hollow needle and a suction means.
 12. Use of the capsule according to claim 1 for packaging cosmetic ingredients.
 13. Use of the capsule according to claim 1 in a device for the manufacture of a personalized cosmetic product by mixing at least two components, wherein at least one of the two components is contained in the capsule.
 14. Method for withdrawing the contents of a perforable capsule according to claim 1, comprising the steps of:
 1. Positioning of the cover of the capsule at a withdrawal device, preferably composed of a hollow needle and a suction means;
 2. Perforating the cover by the withdrawal device;
 3. Withdrawal by suction, preferably by the hollow needle and the suction means, of the component present in the flexible pouch, itself in said capsule, the flexible pouch in which the component is placed coming off the bottom of the capsule under the effect of suction, bringing said component into contact with the hollow needle.
 15. Kit for manufacturing a personalized product, preferably cosmetic, comprising: At least one capsule according to claim 1, containing a component, preferably cosmetic; At least one container, preferably a capsule or a jar, containing another component; A withdrawal device; A component mixing device. 